Hancock bags the Division two Masters
The second of the day’s Divisional Masters competitions took place at Lennons SC, where the top eight players from Division Two gathered with the same goal as their counterparts over at Alfreton — to earn the title of the best player in their division.
And if the Division One event set the tone, Division Two certainly followed suit.
From the opening rounds, it was clear this was going to be a hard-fought affair, with every player fully up for the challenge. Matches were tight throughout the day, but it was the semi-finals that really delivered the drama. Incredibly, both encounters went the distance, finishing 3–2, and — because apparently normal tension wasn’t enough — both were decided on the black ball. Not much more you can ask for in knockout snooker.
As the day rolled on and the frames added up, the final eventually got underway, with last year’s runner-up, Deano Hancock, taking on Lennons SC’s Lewis Longden.
Longden arrived with history in his sights, hoping to complete an impressive hat-trick of consecutive Masters titles, having already lifted the Division Four crown in 2024 and the Division Three title in 2025. Momentum was certainly on his side.
But Hancock had clearly decided that this year would tell a different story.
After the disappointment of falling short in last season’s final, the Grassmoor player returned with determination and produced a composed, spirited display, refusing to let the opportunity slip away again. Helped by the highest break of the day — a superb 41, Hancock controlled the key moments to run out a deserved 3–1 winner and finally get his hands on the trophy.
It caps what has been a remarkable season for Deano, who also claimed the Players Statistics prize. Not a bad campaign at all!
Congratulations to Deano Hancock, and commiserations to Lewis Longden, whose pursuit of a third consecutive Masters title came up just short after another excellent season.
A sincere thank you to Lennons SC for hosting the event, and to Vice Chairman Chris Field, who received high praise from players for the smooth running of proceedings throughout the day.
Finally, a special mention to David Vaulks who, despite suffering heartbreak in a black-ball semi-final defeat, stayed behind to referee the final — a brilliant example of the spirit and sportsmanship that makes our league what it is.
Div 2 Masters winner: Deano Hancock, Grassmoor WMC
Division Two class of 2026
Division One Masters 2026 — Quarter Finals
| Player | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Deano Hancock | 3–0 | Baz Patilla |
| Rob Titchener | 3–2 | Kev Ryan |
| Lewis Longden | 3–2 | Ricky Wylde |
| Robbie Harris | 2–3 | Dunc Waring |
Division One Masters 2026 — Semi Finals
| Player | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Rob Titchener | 2–3 | Lewis Longden |
| David Vaulks | 2–3 | Deano Hancock |
Division One Masters 2026 — Final
| Player | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis Longden | 1–3 | Deano Hancock |
Breaks
| Player | Break |
|---|---|
| Deano Hancock | 41, 33 |
| Lewis Longden | 33 |
| David Vaulks | 31 |
Previous Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Rocco Amalou |
| 2024 | Phil Higginson |
| 2023 | Mark Lee |
| 2022 | Terry Dowson |
| 2020 | Ben Green |
| 2019 | Ben Monk |
| 2018 | Dave Gastrell |
